Dishwasher appliance and a tine assembly for a dishwasher appliance

Abstract

A tine assembly for a dishwasher appliance is provided. The tine assembly includes a plurality of segmented tines. Each segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines includes a plurality of tine segments. Each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments is pivotally or rotatably mounted to a respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments such that the segmented tines of the plurality of segmented tines are compliant. A related dishwasher appliance is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A dishwasher appliance, comprising:
 a tub defining a wash chamber; 
 a rack assembly disposed within the wash chamber of the tub; and 
 a plurality of segmented tines positioned within the rack assembly, each segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines comprising a plurality of tine segments, each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments mounted to a respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments such that each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments is pivotable relative to the respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments, 
 wherein the plurality of tine segments of each segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines comprises no fewer than five tine segments, 
 wherein each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments comprises a spherical portion and a cup portion, the spherical portion of each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments receivable within the cup portion of the respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments such that each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments is removably mounted to the respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments with an interference fit between the each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments and the respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments. 
 
     
     
       2. The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments is rotatable relative to the respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments. 
     
     
       3. The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump and a supply conduit, the pump fluidly coupled to the supply conduit, the plurality of segmented tines extending from the supply conduit, each segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines defining a channel therein. 
     
     
       4. The dishwasher appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the pump is operable to supply a flow of liquid wash fluid to the supply conduit. 
     
     
       5. The dishwasher appliance of  claim 4 , wherein at least one segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines includes a rotating spray nozzle disposed at a distal end of the at least one segmented tine. 
     
     
       6. The dishwasher appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the pump is operable to supply a flow of air to the supply conduit. 
     
     
       7. The dishwasher appliance of  claim 6 , wherein at least one segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines includes an air nozzle disposed at a distal end of the at least one segmented tine. 
     
     
       8. The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket positioned on and mounted to a bottom wall of the rack assembly, the plurality of segmented tines mounted to the mounting bracket. 
     
     
       9. The dishwasher appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the rack assembly includes a plurality of fixed tines that extend from the bottom wall of the rack assembly, the plurality of segmented tines distributed between the fixed tines of the plurality of fixed tines. 
     
     
       10. The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the spherical portion and the cup portion of each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments are integral with each other. 
     
     
       11. A tine assembly for a dishwasher appliance, the tine assembly defining a vertical direction, a lateral direction and a transverse direction, the vertical direction, the lateral direction and the transverse direction being mutually perpendicular, the tine assembly comprising:
 a mounting bracket that extends along the transverse direction between a first end portion and a second end portion; 
 a plurality of segmented tines mounted to the mounting bracket and extending away from the mounting bracket along the vertical direction, each segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines comprising a plurality of tine segments, each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments pivotally mounted to a respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments such that the segmented tines of the plurality of segmented tines are compliant along at least one of the lateral direction and the transverse direction, 
 wherein the plurality of tine segments of each segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines comprises no fewer than five tine segments, 
 wherein each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments comprises a spherical portion and a cup portion, the spherical portion of each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments receivable within the cup portion of the respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments such that each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments is removably mounted to the respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments with an interference fit between the each tine segment of the plurality of tine segments and the respective adjacent tine segment of the plurality of tine segments. 
 
     
     
       12. The tine assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the segmented tines of the plurality of segmented tines are distributed along the transverse direction between the first end portion and the second end portion of the mounting bracket. 
     
     
       13. The tine assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the mounting bracket defines a slot at the first end portion of the mounting bracket, the slot sized for receiving a lattice member of a rack assembly, the mounting bracket having a hook at the second end portion of the mounting bracket, the hook configured for engaging another lattice member of the rack assembly in order to mount the tine assembly to the rack assembly. 
     
     
       14. The tine assembly of  claim 11 , wherein each segmented tine of the plurality of segmented tines defining a channel therein.